by Vaccines are considered by many to be one of modern medicines greatest achievements. A vaccine is a biological preparation used to produce or increase immunity to a disease. Over a thousand years ago, Chinese healers would deliberately infect others with a mild case of smallpox with the hope of building immunity. Edward Jenner is credited with the introduction of and the study of the smallpox vaccine in the late 1700′s. Since then, vaccines have been credited with nearly eradicating several infectious diseases. Vaccines are promoted as being safe and effective. However, vaccines are neither 100% safe or effective, and mandating vaccines goes against the individual freedoms and principles upon which this country was founded. Those that support vaccines claim that vaccines are widely accepted as safe, effective and necessary. According to the CDC, vaccines are held to the highest standards of safety. Many of today’s diseases are considered, “vaccine-preventable.” The Mn Dept. of Health currently mandates fourteen different vaccines as part of the pediatric schedule. There is no clinical evidence to suggest that most people who receive vaccines die or become injured. There is scientific evidence that vaccines are linked to paralysis. Mass vaccination programs are credited with the destruction or the eradication of dreaded diseases such as smallpox, diphtheria and polio. Vaccines are considered important and necessary to prevent the re-emergence and spread of the diseases they are intended for. Most if not all of the three lettered governmental agencies and orthodox medical associations support the opinion that vaccinations benefits far outweigh the risks. First, consider exactly, what does “safe,” mean? Merriam-Webster defines safe as: “free from harm or risk.” Vaccines are hardly free from harm or risk. Just like any other drug or medication, no vaccine is entirely risk free. As soon as you dig deeper into the literature, what “safe,” means quickly becomes blurred. Anaphylaxis, paralysis and death are listed as “side effects,” and adverse reactions in the fine print of many of the vaccine inserts. According to Raymond Francis, a M.I.T. trained scientist, ” One study in the Journal of The American Medical Association found that the incidence of meningitis in children vaccinated against it was five times higher than un-vaccinated children. And the polio vaccine has caused all cases of polio in the U.S.” (Francis) Vaccines are in fact not safe at all if you consider the definition of safe. Vaccine proponents argue that many diseases will return if individuals do not get immunized. It is commonly accepted that the Salk vaccine is responsible for halting polio in the U.S. In the 1940′s and 50′s Dr. Eisenstein writes, “if so, why did the epidemics also end in Europe, where the polio vaccine was not extensively used?” (Eisenstein) “By the time the polio vaccine was introduced in 1956, polio had already declined by 82%.” (Francis) TB shows a similar decline before the vaccine was introduced also. In a more recent study found in the Canadian Medical Association Journal with more than 100,000 participants, the researchers found, “Commonly used pnuemococcal polysaccharide vaccines do not to appear to be effective for preventing pneumonia.” (Huss, et al.) At first glance, vaccines appear to be effective. But upon further investigation there are more questions than answers about the actual efficacy of vaccines. To be truly informed about health care and the decision to vaccinate, we as consumers must be fully aware of our rights as free Americans to voluntary informed consent. In 2000, “At an annual meeting at the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, a resolution called for an end to all government mandated vaccinations. The resolution passed without a single dissenting vote.” The resolution read, “Mass vaccination is equivalent to human experimentation and subject to the Nuremberg Code.” (Francis) According to Dr. Eisenstein, “All 50 states allow for medical exemptions of childhood vaccines. Review your state law to see which is applicable to your state.” (Eisenstein), (MN statute 12.39). It is not only our right to know the law in regards to vaccination . It is our responsibility to be as fully informed and as educated as possible. After all, this is still America!(Tyranny)
